Tuesday, June 29, 2010

I got a great surprise today... my author copies of Love Finds You in Deadwood arrived today. This is my first book under pen name Tracey Cross which I will be using for only historicals. This book will be released August first. Here's a sneak peak:

Chapter One

It had simply never occurred to Jane Albright that Tom might be dead. Gracious, if she feared for his life each time he failed to arrive home in a reasonable amount of time, she’d spend every waking minute in an absolute state. After all, the trip to Deadwood took a month and that was only one way. With weather upsets, the swollen North Platte and breakdowns, she never expected to see him within three months of each departure.

So although he was two weeks overdue, she’d hardly given his absence a thought until late last night when Hank came rolling in on the freight wagon with Tom in the back covered from head to toe with his bedroll.

Standing next to her husband’s grave, Jane barely found the grace to speak a Psalm over him. Even as she said a closing prayer, she found the words automatic and insincere and were it not for her son, Danny standing next to her, fidgeting like only a three year old could, she might have foregone the funeral altogether and just told Hank to bury him without paying final respects. But she couldn’t have her son remembering that she hadn’t given his pa a proper burial.

Hank Barnes, Tom’s partner stood respectfully by the grave that he’d tended to himself, his battered hat clutched in calloused hands that had worked much too hard for it to all end this way.

Jane’s amen brought his head up, and, as one, they turned away from the gravesite of the man who had caused such upheaval for them both, leaving them to salvage what they could of the ruins.

“How long before the lender calls in the note?” Jane stared at the grizzled bullwhacker, trying to wrap her head around the fact that her husband had left them with nothing. Less than nothing, he’d left them in debt which was the worst thing he could have done.

Hank cleared his throat and stopped walking when they reached the doorway to the sod house. “Mr. Lloyd has been patient for too long already, Ma’am. He-um—it was due in full three months ago. He never made even one payment.”

A wave of nausea seized Jane’s stomach. Her mind refused to believe that there was nothing to be done. Mama Rose had always said, “Where there’s a will there’s a way.” That might have been the only thing the nasty woman had ever taught Jane, but the lesson had been well learned.

Jane squared her shoulders and tilted her head a little to look Hank in the eye. “We’ll just have to convince him that you and I are not of the same inclinations toward sloth and drink as Tom was. Any reasonable man will be willing to give us a bit more time to gather the payment. How long do you think it might take to catch up?”

Realizing she was doing all the talking and Hank wasn’t holding her gaze, Jane frowned, scrutinizing him. It couldn’t be a good sign that his boots shifted. The forty-year-old man was squirming worse than little three-year-old Danny when he was about to get into trouble. “What aren’t you telling me, Hank? Whatever it is, just come right out with it.”

Friday, June 25, 2010

So, this summer I've tried the HCG diet, Weight Watchers, Jillian Michael.com, and Nutrisystem. I personally know people who have lost tons on each of these programs. WHY AM I SUCH A FAILURE?
I would love to be one of those people who can just agree that diets don't work...it's all about lifestyle change...blah, blah, blah. I get irritated when I post something about wanting to lose weight and someone says," eat less, exercise more."
UGH Okay, why didn't I think of that?
The fact is that I am an all or nothing kind of girl. I'm great to diet as long as I don't cheat. Cheating sends me in a downward spiral. It's hard for someone like me to change for very long. I know God expects my life to be disciplined and without excesses, so that's my goal. But boy I'm not sure how to go about making the changes.

I've been relaxing a lot this summer, trying to chill some. It's working. I'm noticing my mind is not as prone to wander. I can focus better. When I get stressed I can usually talk myself out of it pretty quick.
I've enjoyed working on easy stuff like proposals, page proofs, pretty much anything that makes me happy.
Still trying to iron out all the details of my website. I'm close to scrapping it altogether, it's so frustrating.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Some people love to sit by a window, listening to the call of birds, watching the sun shine onto a sparkling desk. It's how they process, how they work...
I, on the other hand, do my best work on dark, stormy rainy days. That's today. So off I go--back to work on the next chapter of a proposal that excites me.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Today I soaked up some sun, tonight I am RED. I know it's already June and everyone has been tanning for a month or two, but I let time get away. I have unlimited tanning with my gym membership and don't use either. But I do love to lay out in the sun. Not for long...about an hour. But gee whiz, I'm red.

Monday I start back on a four-hour-a-day writing schedule with a focus on finishing up two proposals by the end of next week. Next week I also start on the Nutrisystem program. I have put on 40 lbs this year after losing over 100 a few years ago with gastric bypass. GB works! I just don't.

I have a goal...not to use LOL in ANY posts, blog, email, or facebook. I'm seriously doubting my ability to succeed.